7 Popular Regional Ramen | Japan Guide

Ramen are also available in many different regional varieties, some of which have become extremely popular and may be found nationwide. A few of the best known regional varieties include:

Hokkaido

Asahikawa Ramen (more details)
Hailing from the very center of Hokkaido, Asahikawa Ramen are known for their oily, shoyu based soup. They includes thin, wavy noodles, which are typically topped with green onions, chashu, menma, and egg. Shops serving Asahikawa Ramen can be found throughout Asahikawa.

Hokkaido

Sapporo Ramen (more details)
Sapporo’s famous miso ramen are thick and hearty. They usually features fat, robust noodles and are often topped with fillingHokkaido specialties such as creamy butter and sweet corn. Miso Ramen are among the most popular regional ramen varieties and have become a mainstay at ramen-ya all over the country.

Fukushima Prefecture

Kitakata Ramen
From Fukushima Prefecture, Kitakata Ramen feature a light shoyu soup typically flavored with pork bones, chicken stock and dried sardines, and are filled with wide, flat noodles that are chewy and wavy. Kitakata Ramen are usually topped with green onions, menma, and generous amounts of chashu.

Tokyo

Tokyo Ramen
Tokyo style ramen typically features medium thick, wavy noodles in a shoyu soup flavored with dashi fish stock. Tokyo Ramen are served nationwide and have become popular to the point that they are essentially the stereotypical shoyu ramen.

Hiroshima Prefecture

Onomichi Ramen
Ramen from Onomichi utilize a shoyu soup flavored with dashi fish stock, which is usually made from local seafood caught in the Seto Inland Sea. Onomichi Ramen noodles are typically thin, straight and firm and the dish is often served topped with green onions, chashu, menma, and a bit of pork lard for flavoring.

Fukuoka Prefecture

Hakata Ramen (more details)
Hakata Ramen feature thin noodles in a thick, creamy tonkotsu soup, usually topped with chashu. The best place to enjoy Hakata Ramen is at one of the food stalls in Fukuoka, but they can now also be found at specialty ramen-ya nationwide.

Okinawa Prefecture

Okinawa Soba (more details)
Although called soba, Okinawa Soba are more similar to ramen. The thick, wavy noodles are served in a bowl of shio soup and topped with various items such as green onions, kamaboko and fresh ginger. If topped with soft broiled pork, the dish is called Soki Soba, but there are other varieties too.